No comment on Jordan claims

Johannesburg - Comment was not immediately available on a Sunday Times report that senior member of the ANC and MP Pallo Jordan did not have the academic qualifications he claimed to have.

According to the publication, no evidence could be found that Jordan, who goes by the title 'Dr' has ever had an honorary doctorate bestowed on him.

Jordan has no degrees or diplomas from the University of Wisconsin-Madison or the London School of Economics (LSE), the two institutions cited on his CV.

He has no formal tertiary academic qualifications whatsoever, the publication reported.

The office of the registrar at LSE told the publication: "We can find no record of Zwelidinga Pallo Jordan having been awarded a PHD from the school."

The newspaper said it had tried to get Jordan to confirm his qualifications but to no avail.

The office of the student services registrar at the University of Wisconsin-Madison confirmed that Jordan did study there, but he obtained only 97 credits between 16 September 1963 and 24 February 1964 and never completed his degree, according to the newspaper.

The Sunday Times published a long exchange of text messages between Jordan and its journalist.

At one instance, Jordan promises to have the relevant documentation ready but it does not materialise.

Jordan later suggests the journalist could be his official biographer in exchange for not publishing the story.

At the end of the text messages, Jordan tell the journalist he would sue Times Media (owners of the Sunday Times).

"Tell me, does Tokyo [Sexwale] still own Times Media? I will not take an old friend to court, but I'll take you to the cleaners, the dry cleaners plus the laundry!! So do what you wanna!!."

Secretary of Parliament Baby Tyawa referred queries to the African National Congress.

"Parliament is not involved in that, he is a member of the ANC in Parliament. Parliament does not make requirements for a member to have a degree or PhD," Tyawa said.

Comment from ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa could not be obtained immediately.

The Government Communication and Information Services said it could not comment.

Jordan is a former minister of arts and culture, minister of environmental affairs, and minister of posts, telecommunications and broadcasting.